Iphone 5 rumour round-up

THE LAUNCH of the Apple Iphone 5 is fast approaching, with the invitations sent and the date set for 12 September. We already know that the highly anticipated smartphone will arrive running Apple's IOS 6 mobile operating system and will have a new mapping app, Siri improvements and Facebook integration, but with Apple staff having been extra careful not to leave the handset in a bar this time, there's little else anyone outside Apple knows about the Iphone 5.

Nonetheless, the internet has been awash with rumours about the next Apple Iphone, so we take a look at what Apple fandom thinks we can expect to see on Wednesday.

Larger screenAlthough Apple has remained typically tight-lipped about its next generation smartphone, we'll gladly eat our hats if the Iphone 5 doesn't feature a larger screen. According to online speculation, the upcoming Iphone will feature a 4in Retina display, compared to the 3.5in screen found on previous Iphone models. This larger, 4in screen is also expected to have a 16:9 aspect ratio that will better accommodate gaming and video playback.

RedesignA redesigned body is also a certainty for the Iphone 5. The transition from the original Iphone to the Iphone 3G saw a completely reworked body, as did the shift from the Iphone 3GS to the Iphone 4. This time around, we're expecting a two-tone metal clad chassis, available in both black and white flavours. If online murmurs are to be believed, the next Iphone could also measure 2-3mm thinner than the Iphone 4S, which could make it the skinniest smartphone available.

Faster processorIn our opinion, the Iphone 5 doesn't need a faster processor, given that all IOS apps are designed to work seamlessly on the Apple smartphone.

However, rumour has it that the handset will have a speedier processor under the bonnet - possibly the A5X chip found on the third generation Ipad or a new quad-core A6 processor.